Mexico (MNN) — You don’t have to speak the same language to share God’s love with people.
(Photo courtesy of Family Christian via Facebook)
Family Christian’s Olivia Holman recently found this out on her mission trip to Mexico with Back2Back Ministries, where her team of 13 ministered to Casa Hogar Douglas, a children’s home in Monterrey.
Back2Back usually travels to their three partnered children’s homes on the Mexico mission trip. But this time around was different. The team stuck to Monterrey, which Holman says ended up being a good thing.
“It was really awesome and totally God’s purpose that we spent the whole week at Casa Hogar Douglas. We were able to connect with the kids at a much deeper level, minister to them, and just have a sweet week of connecting with those kids.”
Ironically, no team member actually spoke Spanish. Holman admits, prior to the trip, she wasn’t sure how the week was going to turn out. But, it ended up better than anyone could imagine. “By Tuesday night, we were laughing with those kids.”
They were able to connect with the children, many of whom had gone through difficult situations. They’d been abandoned or forced out of their home. At such young ages, it was hard for them to understand why they’d gone through these rough times. But their struggles helped make God’s influence go even deeper.
“The way we impacted those kids most is just by letting them relax,” Holman explains.
“A lot of these kids come from backgrounds where they have high stress levels. They don’t see their parents. They’ve been neglected or disconnected from that part of their family for such a long time that one of the biggest ministries you can do is to have fun with them.”
The team brought the children to the zoo, played with them, and let them know how important and valued they are through their actions. Team members lifted each child up and helped them forget about the pain and stress that surrounded their world.
Holman says she connected with two little girls, who were thrilled to have a playing partner. Through a translator, one girl told Holman she was her friend. “I realized that missions [has] been calling to me and knocking at my door for a long time, and that it’s something I want to spend more time in my life doing.”
Coming back from the trip was the hardest part. The unknown of how the kids would turn out was a struggle. But Holman says after planting the seeds of God’s love and Word, He would see everything through and ensure a bright future for the children.
“We don’t necessarily see the good that comes from what we did, but God sees it.”
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